Joint pointer for masonry work



July 9, 1957 A. A. GROS 2,793,374

JOINT POINTER FOR MASONRY WORK Filed Aug. 27, 1954 2 Shee'ts-Sheec 1 INVENTOR.

52 ANATOLE A- areas .ATTOENEYS July 9, 1957 A. A. GROS JOINT POINTER FOR MASONRY-WORK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1954 INVENTOR.

ANATOLE A. 6208 This invention relates to masons implements, and more particularly to an improved brick joint pointing tool.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved implement for finishing mortar joints between bricks and the like, said tool being simple in construction, being easy to operate, and providing a smoothly finished joint between adjacent bricks or blocks in a masonry structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tool for finishing joints of brick walls and similar masonry structures, said tool being inexpensive to v i d Sttes Patent fabricate, being rugged in construction, and providing an efiicient pointing and raking action to clean out the joint between adjacent bricks in a masonry structure and to leave a clean and neat joint therebetween.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved brick joint pointing tool constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top View of the pointing tool of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical cross sectional detail view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the handle of the pointing tool and the arms pivoted thereto, the arms being swung to a position similar to the positions of the arms of the tool when the tool is being used to clear a joint between newly laid bricks.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the portion of the tool illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged transverse vertical cross sectional detail view taken on the line 77 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, the improved brick joint pointing and raking tool is designated generally at 11. Said tool comprises a resilient U-shaped handle 12 having the flexible legs 13 and 14 and the bight portion 15 connecting the ends of the legs 13 and 14. Secured on the legs 13 and 14 are the handle grip elements 16 of wood or other suitable grip material.

Designated at 17 and 18 are respective parallel rollers which are rotatably connected to the ends of the legs 13 and 14 in coaxial relationship, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 5, the free end of the leg 13 is formed with a circular ring element 19 and the free end of the leg 14 is formed with a similar circular ring element 20 which is disposed parallel to the ring element 19. Roller 17 comprises a main wheel element 21 having an arcuately curved inwardly concavely beveled tread portion 22 and a threaded boss 23 having a reduced end portion 24 which is also threaded. Threadedly secured on the boss 23 is the tire element 25 which may be of any suitable friction material, such as plastic material or the like, the tire member 25 being secured against the wheel 21 by a nut 26 engaged on the boss 23. The ring element 19 is rotatably engaged on the end of the ICC boss 23 and is retained thereon by a lock nut 27 which is threaded on the reduced end portion 24 of boss 23 and is tightened against the shoulder defined between the main portion of boss 23 and the reduced end portion 24.

The roller 18 is similar in construction to the roller 17 but comprises a wheel element 21' having an arcuate inwardly concavely beveled tread surface 22 and which is formed with an inwardly extending cylindrical sleeve element 29 which is slidably received in the boss 23 of the opposing roller 17, as is clearly shown in Figure 4. The wheel 18 is formed with a boss 23' similar to the boss 23. The bosses 23 and 23 have the respective outer end walls 30 and 30', as shown in Figure 4. Positioned in said bosses and arranged axially therein is a coiled spring 31 which bears at its ends on the respective end walls 30 and 30, biasing the rollers apart. Said rollers may be flexed inwardly sufiiciently to allow their concavely beveled tread elements 22, 22 to be engaged in a groovebetweenadjacent bricks.

A pair of parallel arms 32 and 33 are positioned between the handle legs 13 and 14, so that one of the adjacent ends of the arms are inwardly of and spaced from the rollers 17 and 18 and the portions contiguous to the other of the adjacent ends of the arms 13 and 14 are adjacent the handle bight portion 15, as shown in Figure l. The one end of the arms 32 and 33 are connected to the handle legs 13 and 14 for movement of the arms from the positions in which the portions contiguous to the other ends are adjacent the handle bight portion 15, as shown in Figure 1, to positions in which the said portions are engaged by the tread portions 22 and 22 of the rollers 17 and 18, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. Specifically, the one end of the arms 32 and 33 are pivoted as at 34 and 35 to the handle legs 13 and 14. The pivotal connections 34 and 35 of the arms 32 and 33 are on a common transverse axis, as shown in Figure 2. When the tool is not in use, the arms 32 and 33 are in the position in which the portions contiguous to the other ends thereof are adjacent to and engage the bight portion 15 of the handle 12, so that the device may be easily carried in the users pocket or in the users tool chest.

Working elements or flanges 36 and 36' project from one edge of the portions contiguous to the other ends of the arms 32 and 33, the flanges or elements being of a thickness less than said one end edges to form shoulders 32' and 33' respectively. The raking elements or flanges 36 and 36 are shaped to complemental arcuate segments 39 and 40 respectively, to form a mortar joint of substantially arcuate shape. The raking elements are normally spaced apart, but are movable toward each other, so that the arcuate segments 39 and 40 engage in a groove between adjacent bricks with the shoulders 32 and 33' abutting the bricks adjacent the groove, Figure 7, when the arms 32 and 33 are in the positions in which the portions contiguous to the other ends are engaged by the tread portions 22 and 22 of the rollers 17 and 18, and the arms are flexed inwardly toward each other as by exerting gripping force on the handle 12.

In using the device, the rollers 17 and 18 are first used to form the joint, after which the arms are rotated into engagement with the tread portions of the respective rollers 17 and 18 and the flanges 36 and 36' are engaged in the groove between the adjacent bricks with the shoulders 32 and 33 abutting the bricks adjacent the groove by flexing the handle legs 13 and 14 towards each other to bring the flanges 36 and 36' close enough to be inserted in the brick joint grooves. The device is then drawn along the joint, whereby the forming flanges 36 and 36' travel adjacent the respective bricks on opposite sides of the groove, the arcuate tread surfaces 22 and 22' of the rollers having been previously employed to form the mortar joint between the bricks to a desired and While; a specific'embodimentot an improved-brick joint;

pointing tool has' been disclosed in the fore'going descrip tion, it will be understood that various modification's within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in theart. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed onthe invention except asdefined by the scope of the appended claims.

1 What is claimedis: p

' 1. A brick joint pointing and raking tool comprising a resilient u -sha'p'jedhandle haying a pair of flexible legs and a bight-portionconnecting on'eof the adjacent ends of said legs together, a pair of parallelrollers positioned between said handle legs and rotatably connected to the other adjacent-'endsbf said legs, each oi said rollers having an arcuate tread-portion, a pair of parallel armspositioned between said handle legs so'that one of the adjacent ends ofsaid arms are inwardly of and spaced from said rollers and the portions contiguous to the other of the adjacent ends of saidarms are adjacent the handle bight portion, said one ends of said armsbeing connected to said handle legs for movement of said arms from the positions in which the portions contiguous to the other ends are adjacent to the handle bight portion to positions in which saidtportions are engaged by the tread portions of said rollers, and a raking element projecting from one edgeof the portion contiguous to the other end of each of said arms and being of a thickness less than said one edge to form a shoulder, said elements being shaped to complemental arcuate segments to form a mortar joint of substantially arcuate shape, said raking elements being normally spaced apart butbeing movable toward each other so that the arcuate segments engage in the groove between adjacent bricks with the shoulders abutting the bricks adjacent to the groove when said arms are in the positions in which the portions contiguous to the other ends are engaged by the treadportions ofsaid rollers and said arms are flexed inwardly toward each other.

2. A brick joint pointing and raking tool according to claim 1 which includes in addition spring means positioned axially between said rollers and biasing said rollers apart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 352,082 Cross Nov. 2,18% 470,940- .Koellhofier Mar. 15, 1892 

